The wet shaving process is used to shear whiskers or other body hair using a sharp blade. “Wet shaving” or “manual wet shaving” systems in the context of the present invention include a razor assembly having a handle portion coupled to a blade assembly. The handle portion is gripped by a person's hand while the blade assembly drawn across a surface of the person's skin to be shaved. The primary cutting motion or action of the blade is the act of pulling, drawing, or passing the blade across a skin surface using the handle. This in contrast to a “dry shaving” system wherein the primary cutting motion of the blade is a motorized action of the blade against a “micro-screen” that shears off the hairs that pass into the micro-screen. Generally speaking, wet shaving systems are considered to provide close and comfortable shaving results.
Even wet shaving with the sharpest blade can have some irritation and discomfort due in part to the friction between the blade assembly and the skin surface being shaved as well as the tendency of the blade to partially pull on hairs being cut. Also, even the closest shaving process typically leaves behind very short portions of hairs or whiskers. There is an ever-present motivation to improve comfort and closeness of the shaving process.